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The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is committed to promoting the full inclusion and empowerment of persons with disabilities.

Since its launch in 2014, the UN Partnership on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNPRPD) joint programme in China has made significant strides across various domains, including employment, education, health, justice, social protection, and media and information. By facilitating legal reforms, building national capacity, creating job opportunities, and fostering social participation, the UNPRPD programme has significantly enhanced the lives of persons with disabilities in China.

From 2024-2025, UNESCO, in collaboration with UNFPA and ILO, is working towards ensuring that the rights of persons with disabilities are fully respected, protected, and fulfilled, with a focus on addressing issues such as accessibility, employment, sexual and reproductive health needs and services, and digital literacy and skills.

College students and women with disabilities face significant challenges in accessing digital literacy resources due to varying types of disabilities, geographical locations, and economic conditions. For instance, visually impaired individuals require screen reader functionality and detailed auditory descriptions, while hearing-impaired individuals need sign language, subtitles, and visual aids. A needs assessment conducted as part of the first phase of the project highlighted these disparities and underscored the urgent need for tailored digital literacy programs.  

UNESCO aims to address these challenges by developing and piloting a customized Large Language Model (LLM). This AI-driven solution will leverage existing digital literacy resources and adapt to the specific needs of the target groups, ensuring personalized, accessible, and sustainable digital literacy education.

The primary objective of this Call for Proposal is to seek and engage an Organization of Persons with Disabilities (OPD) (hereinafter as “Partner’) to lead the development and piloting of a customized LLM tailored to the needs of college students and women with disabilities in China. The goal is to enhance their digital literacy, promote inclusion, and empower them in the digital age.

• Improve the digital literacy skills, knowledge, and confidence of target groups, enabling them to fully and effectively participate in education, employment, and social life.

• Empower educators, support staff, and community leaders with the necessary skills and resources to effectively integrate the LLM into existing systems, thereby enhancing their capacity to support digital literacy initiatives for persons with disabilities.

• Ensure long-term impact and adaptability to evolving user needs through a sustainable and scalable framework for the continued operation and expansion of the LLM.

The Partner, in close consultation with UNESCO, will be responsible for the following tasks:

4.1 Development of a Customized LLM

• Design and implement a customized LLM tailored to the specific needs of college students and women with disabilities in China. This includes ensuring the model is accessible, inclusive, and capable of adapting to various types of disabilities.

• Train the LLM on a diverse range of open-source digital literacy resources, including but not limited to UNESCO resources, such as educational content, interactive modules, and accessibility tools, to address the essential needs on digital literacy for the target groups, based on the findings of the specific needs and recommendations from needs assessment conducted in the first phase of the project (download via ).    

• Where such resources are not available, develop original content to fill these gaps. Ensure that the training data is comprehensive, representative, and inclusive, reflecting the varied requirements and learning styles of college students and women with disabilities in China.

• Integrate accessibility features, ensuring compatibility with assistive technologies and addressing the unique needs of users with various disabilities.

   

4.2 Pilot Testing and Evaluation

• Conduct a pilot test of the LLM in selected institutions and communities, targeting college students and women with disabilities. The pilot should cover a diverse range of geographical locations and disability types to ensure comprehensive evaluation.

• During the pilot phase, collect detailed feedback from users to assess the effectiveness, usability, and accessibility of the LLM. This feedback will be used to make necessary adjustments and improvements.

• Produce a comprehensive evaluation report detailing the outcomes of the pilot test, including user satisfaction, learning outcomes, and any challenges encountered. The report should provide recommendations for scaling up the project.

4.3 Capacity Building and Training

• Develop and deliver training programs for educators, support staff, and community leaders on how to effectively utilize the LLM in their respective environments. This includes training on how to integrate the LLM into existing curricula and support systems.

• Create a suite of training materials and resources, including user manuals, instructional videos, and online tutorials, to facilitate the adoption and use of the LLM.

   

4.4 Sustainability and Scalability

• Develop a sustainable model for the continued operation and improvement of the LLM beyond the pilot phase. This includes strategies for ongoing data updates, user feedback integration, and technological upgrades.    

• Outline a plan for scaling up the LLM to reach a broader audience, including other regions in China and potentially other countries. The plan should include partnerships with educational institutions, government agencies, technology companies, and Organizations of Persons with Disabilities.

   

4.5 Documentation and Knowledge Sharing

• Maintain detailed documentation of the project, including technical specifications, user feedback, and evaluation results. This documentation will serve as a valuable resource for future projects and initiatives.

• Participate in knowledge-sharing activities, such as workshops, seminars, and conferences, to disseminate the findings and best practices from the project. This will help build a broader understanding of the potential of AI in enhancing digital literacy for persons with disabilities.

   

4.6 Compliance and Ethical Considerations

• Ensure that the development and implementation of the LLM adhere to ethical guidelines and best practices in AI. This includes ensuring data privacy, user consent, and the responsible use of AI technologies, such as outlined in . 

• Comply with all relevant UNESCO standards and guidelines, ensuring that the project aligns with the broader goals of the UNPRPD joint programme and the principles of inclusion and empowerment for persons with disabilities.

5.1 Customized Large Language Model (LLM)

• A fully developed and customized LLM tailored to the specific needs of college students and women with disabilities in China.

• Training data that is comprehensive, representative, and inclusive, reflecting the varied requirements and learning styles of the target groups.

• Integration of advanced accessibility features, ensuring compatibility with assistive technologies and addressing the unique needs of users with various disabilities.    

5.2 Pilot Testing and Evaluation Report

A detailed report on the pilot testing of the LLM, including:

• User feedback on the effectiveness, usability, and accessibility of the LLM.

• User satisfaction and learning outcomes.

• Any challenges encountered during the pilot phase.

• Recommendations for scaling up the project.

5.3 Training Programs and Materials

Training programs for educators, support staff, and community leaders, including:

• Two training sessions on how to effectively utilize the LLM in existing systems, as well as the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and core principles of disability equality and inclusion.

• Training materials such as user manuals, instructional videos, and online tutorials.

5.4 Sustainability and Scalability Plan

A sustainable model for the continued operation and improvement of the LLM beyond the pilot phase, including:

• Strategies for ongoing data updates, user feedback integration, and technological upgrades.

• A plan for scaling up the LLM to reach a broader audience

5.5 Documentation and Knowledge Sharing

Comprehensive documentation of the project, including:

• Technical specifications of the LLM.

• User feedback and evaluation results.

• Best practices and lessons learned.

• Participation in knowledge-sharing activities, such as workshops, seminars, and conferences, to disseminate the findings and best practices from the project.

All activities are expected to be conducted from April to November 2025. All reports provided to UNESCO need to be in both English and Chinese.

Interested OPD are invited to submit in writing to the UNESCO Regional Office for East Asia/UNESCO Beijing Office:    

1. Technical Proposal clearly referencing “The development and pilot of a customized Large Language Model (LLM) to enhance digital literacy among college students and women with disabilities in China”, indicating 

1) Profile of the OPD, including qualifications and relevant experiences2) The structure of the team for the assignment and detailed CVs of the team members, including disability experts, AI specialists, accessibility experts, and professionals with experience in digital literacy and disability inclusion3) Detailed workplan with timeline and approaches to carry out the assignment.

2. Financial Proposal: a detailed budget breakdown with unit costs for each item.

Your application should reach q.zeng@unesco.org by email no later than 23:59 Hours (GMT+8 time) on 11 March 2025. Only short-listed applicants will be contacted.

To address potential questions from applicants, the following clarifications are provided:

• Q: What is the expected size of the training dataset?
• A: The dataset should be comprehensive and representative of the target groups. The exact size will depend on the availability of open-source resources and the need for original content development.
• Q: What are the specific accessibility features required?A: The LLM must support screen readers, text-to-speech, speech-to-text, and visual aids to accommodate users with visual, hearing, and other disabilities.
• Q: What are the evaluation criteria:
• A: UNESCO will prioritize the technical quality of the proposal. Proposals that meet the technical criteria will be evaluated based on value for money.
• Q: What is the budget range for this project?
• A: Applicants are encouraged to submit a detailed financial proposal with a budget breakdown. UNESCO will evaluate proposals based on value for money.
• Q: What is the expected timeline for each phase of the project?
• A: The project will run from April to November 2025. A detailed timeline should be included in the workplan submitted by the applicant.
• Q: What are the qualifications required for the team?    
• A: The team should include disability experts, AI specialists, accessibility experts, and professionals with experience in digital literacy and disability inclusion.